Loud laughter was coming from Lupin's suite. Shifting two small boxes to one hand, Alexis knocked on the door, a bemused look on her face. Goemon opened the door, his manner as stoic as ever. He bowed slightly. Alexis smiled at him.

"Thank you, Goemon," she said. From the main suite, the laughter was growing louder. It was punctuated by occasional growls.

"It is my pleasure," he replied, closing the door behind her. "Enter, and be welcome."

Alexis followed him into the sitting area, where Lupin and Fujiko were passing a photograph back and forth. Jigen, dressed only in tuxedo trousers and his hat, was frantically trying to take it from them. Alexis set her packages on the counter that served as a divider between the living and kitchen areas, and raised one eyebrow.

"I could hear you all the way down to the lift," she said, shrugging off her coat and draping it over one of the overstuffed leather chairs. "What are you looking at that's so bloody funny?"

Lupin snatched the photograph from Fujiko's hand. "Oh, just some home photography," he said with a wicked grin. "Wanna see?"

"Give it here!" Jigen roared, lunging for it. He missed completely, and Lupin skipped to the other side of the room. He ceremoniously handed the photo to Alexis. Looking at it, her eyes widened, and she blushed slightly.

It was a black and white photo of the bathroom. Standing in the glass-walled shower was a very naked Jigen, his back turned towards the camera, a washcloth thrown over one shoulder. His head was tilted back, his eyes were closed, and water from the showerhead was coursing over his throat and down the length of his body.

Alexis' blush deepened, and something fluttered in her stomach. "Oh, my," she said. She was too surprised to protest when Jigen ripped the photograph from her hand. "He's .. nude." She turned to Lupin and in her best dead-pan voice, said, "May I have a copy of that?"

Jigen looked sharply at her. "Hey!"

Lupin laughed. "Sure," he said cheerfully. "Eight by ten, or wallet-sized?"

Goemon snickered, and Fujiko giggled madly.

"Hey!" Jigen snarled. "This isn't friggin' funny!" He tore the photo in half, and then in half again.

Alexis settled into a chair and smiled wryly at him. "I didn't know you showered with the bathroom door open," she said.

"I DON'T," he growled. The photograph was now nothing more than monochrome confetti. Jigen tossed it into the sink and started to wash it down the drain.

"The culprit?" Lupin said, holding up a rectangular object no larger than a pea. "A tiny camera planted in the door handle."

Alexis squinted, but she could still barely see the camera between Lupin's fingers. "Amazing," she said.

"I'm gonna friggin' kill you," Jigen said, coming around the kitchen counter and heading for Lupin.

Lupin waved him away. "Oh, I can't take all the credit," he said. He looked over at Fujiko, who was laughing uncontrollably beside him on the sofa. "Fujiko was the one who brought me the camera."

"Fujiko?" Jigen's eyes narrowed. "Figures that bitch would be at the bottom of this." He started to reach for her, but she held up her hands in protest.

"Don't blame me!" she gasped, jumping off the sofa and out of the way. "Lupin was the one who wanted to test it out!"

Jigen growled wordlessly and stormed off towards the bedroom. The others watched him go.

"You really enjoy taking the piss out of him, don't you?" Alexis said, crossing one leg over the other and looking at Lupin. "While I'd love to see how it all turns out," she continued, "I have to ask: what's the point?"

Lupin grinned. "I'm glad you did ask, my dear." He stood and reached into a large canvas bag that was sitting on the coffee table. "With just a few modifications, I can turn this into a video camera." He pulled some wires from the bag. "The gala vaults are the height of security. There's an electronic code required to get in." Lupin chose a wire, seemingly at random, and inserted it into the camera. "With this baby, we should be able to hook in and see whatever's going on." He beamed proudly.

Alexis nodded thoughtfully. "Very clever," she said.

Fujiko glanced over at the dividing counter and clapped her hands. "Oh!" She bounced over to the boxes that Alexis had brought. "What did you bring me?"

Alexis laughed and stood up. She moved to the counter and picked up the smaller of the two boxes. "Oh, just a good-luck charm." She opened the hinged lid. "You look beautiful, by the way," she added. "Red always did suit you."

Fujiko was dressed in a plunging crimson dress that hugged her generous curves. Her hair was done up in a French twist, and she wore delicate blood-drop earrings. She preened at the compliment and slid her hands down the length of her body. Alexis looked over Fujiko's shoulder and saw that Lupin's temperature was steadily rising. She chuckled. From the box in her hands, she withdrew a ruby pendant the size of a robin's egg, strung on a diamond chain. She held it up for approval.

Fujiko squealed with excitement and pleasure. "Oh, it's gorgeous!" she said, as Alexis clasped it around her slender neck. "Where ever did you find it?"

"Brussels," said Alexis, adjusting the pendant so that it hung perfectly centered above Fujiko's ample cleavage. "It was an easy piece to find."

Fujiko stepped over to the mirror that hung near the hallway and struck a pose. "I can keep it, right?" she asked. Her tone made it clear that she was not expecting to be refused.

"Subtle," came a deep voice from behind them. Jigen walked into the room, adjusting his silver cufflinks. His tie was hanging loose around his neck, and his hat had apparently been put aside for the evening.

Alexis smiled at Fujiko. "Of course you can keep it," she said. "Blue is more my colour."

Lupin looked sharply at Alexis, then stood up. "Let me help you with that tie, Jigen," he said, his eyes narrowed slightly.

The argument over the photograph had been forgotten. "I can't friggin' believe I let you talk me into this," Jigen grumbled. He lifted his chin as Lupin adjusted his tie. Alexis turned and blinked in surprise.

"Why, Jigen," she said with a faint laugh. "You DO have eyes!"

Unable to move away from Lupin's ministrations, Jigen had to content himself with glaring at her. "You got a smart mouth, you know that?" he said.

Alexis smiled broadly and leaned against the counter. "Then how fortunate for me that my mouth and my brain are a matched set." Her blue eyes twinkled as she spoke. "Here," she said, as Lupin finished adjusting Jigen's tie. "I brought you something, too." She opened the larger of the two boxes and pulled out a perfect, ivory-coloured rosebud. There was a collective gasp from everyone in the room, even Goemon.

Alexis struggled not to blush. She stepped close to Jigen and touched his shoulder. "Now," she said softly, "stay very still." With deft fingers, she pinned the rose to his lapel. "There. The finishing touch." She stepped back and admired the effect for a moment. Jigen coloured slightly, and Alexis touched her cool fingertips to his burning cheek before turning back to the counter.

"And one for you," Alexis continued. She glanced over her shoulder at Lupin, but handed the red rosebud to Fujiko. "Here," she said, and smiled mischievously. "He's your date; it's your job to pin it on him." The implication of her own actions was clear. Jigen blushed a deeper shade of red.

Fujiko walked over to Lupin and fiddled with his jacket.

"Ow!" Lupin flinched. "That hurts!"

Goemon's dry voice came from the far side of the room. "I sense a motif."

"Sorry!" Fujiko said. Her brow was furrowed in concentration. "This isn't easy, you know."

Alexis looked at her watch. "It's almost half-six," she said. She picked up her coat. "I'll walk out with you."

The four of them crowded into the hallway. Fujiko took a white fur wrap from the front closet, while Lupin and Jigen both pulled out overcoats and slipped them on. Jigen ran to the bedroom and snatched his hat, and when he thought no one was looking, stuffed it into the pocket of his coat.

"Bye, Goemon," Lupin said as they left the suite. "Don't have too much fun without us!"

Alexis could have sworn that she heard Goemon snort rudely as the door closed behind them.

As they rode down in the elevator, Fujiko adjusted her wrap and admired herself in the mirrored walls. Lupin drooled over her. An amused look passed between Jigen and Alexis.

"I'm sorry you'll miss the party," Fujiko said, as the elevator doors opened.

"Oh, I won't miss it," Alexis said, following her into the lobby. "I'm catering."

Three voices joined in chorus: "What?"

Alexis was three steps ahead of them before she turned. Her smile had a mischievous edge to it. "Oh, didn't I mention?" she asked unnecessarily. "That's where I've been all day. At the Palazzo Reale, overseeing the dessert prep and checking on the chocolate diamonds."

Fujiko's eyes widened. "Chocolate diamonds?" she said.

"Mm-hm." Alexis took a small, foil-wrapped object from her pocket and tossed it to Fujiko. "Novelty sweets are hugely popular. I made a killing on this job."

Fujiko unwrapped the perfectly-formed chocolate and popped it into her mouth. She rolled her eyes heavenward and moaned softly. At her side, Lupin looked as though he was about to faint. "Oh, this is amazing!" Fujiko gushed, linking arms with Alexis and hauling her through the revolving door. "You made these?"

Alexis laughed as they stepped out of the hotel. "Well, I didn't make the chocolate itself, no! But I chose the chocolate, and filled and moulded them myself." She smiled mischievously at Fujiko. "I'm glad you like them."

As Fujiko nodded eagerly, Lupin pushed her along the sidewalk.

"So, you'll be there tonight?" he asked, offering Fujiko his arm. He sighed deeply when she turned up her nose and started to walk along without him.

"Eventually, yes," Alexis replied, chuckling at their little drama. "I have some things to do behind the scenes, and then I'm free to enjoy the evening however I choose."

"See you there later, then!" Lupin said, and waved over his shoulder as he chased after Fujiko. Jigen rolled his eyes and strode quickly to catch up.

Alexis watched them move off, Lupin begging Fujiko to wait, Fujiko ignoring him, and Jigen grumbling about the whole thing.